British expats in Orihuela fearing repeat of Gota Fria floods

UK expats living in the hard-hit Costa Blanca region are now fearing more devastating floods this autumn.

Last October’s record breaking rainstorms brought devastating floods to many popular UK expat hubs on the Costa Blanca, resulting in a promise by the Madrid government that financial aid would be forthcoming. Sadly, according to the mayor of Orihuela, not one single euro has been received from either the regional or national governments.

During an interview with a popular English language newspaper, Mayor Bascunana stated the city’s finances have diminished still further since the coronavirus disaster hit, causing him to send written complaints to both Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez and President of Valencia Ximo Puig. The letter states some nine months have gone by since the floods, much of which time now coincides with the Covid19-outbreak and is straining the region’s diminished financial resources to the limit.

Fears of further Gota Fria weather events in the autumn and early winter of this year are increasing, as emergency work needing to be done can’t be started due to the lack of government funding. British expats living in the popular region are dreading another total inundation due to similar weather conditions now being predicted, with many still not able to complete renovation of their properties due to issues with insurers. The floods began in October, but similar Gota Fria mega-storms continued in the region until into the new year, wrecking homes and destroying roads and crops as well as causing a number of deaths.